The present invention relates in general to a gaming device, and more particularly to a gaming device having a modular construction with replaceable laminate panels and a method for manufacturing, modifying, changing and repairing such gaming devices.
Manufacturing gaming devices is an expensive and time intensive process. Currently, gaming devices are effectively custom designed to accommodate a particular gaming theme or scheme. While many similar parts are used for gaming devices such as player input devices or buttons and coin, token and bill acceptors, the overall design or appearance of contemporary gaming device are somewhat dependant on the gaming theme or scheme. Obviously, such gaming devices cannot be built until the manufacturer determines the game theme and scheme. This includes determining the decorations such as the color of and other indicia on the outside of the gaming device viewable by the players.
One conventional process for assembling a gaming device includes attaching wood panels to a steel cabinet or laminating directly to the steel cabinet structure. The exterior surfaces of the wood panels are laminated or otherwise decorated. The wood panels are cut or otherwise made to fit the cabinet, which is a time intensive and expensive process. These wood panels are difficult to work with, heavy, unwieldy and require a great deal of maneuvering to properly position the panels on the cabinet during the manufacturing process. Moreover, removing and replacing these panels is difficult. The wood panels cannot easily be removed in a gaming area to change the gaming theme or scheme of a gaming device or exchange new panels for damaged or discolored panels. The attachment of laminate directly to the steel cabinet structure requires the lamination process to take place prior to any assembly. This process increases lead times because no work can be done until the laminate has been applied.
Removing such gaming devices from the gaming area to change the panels is prohibitively expensive for the gaming owners and disruptive to their patrons. Gaming device owners prefer to conduct such changes or make the repairs on the gaming floor, limiting the gaming device down time while at the same time not disrupting the patrons of adjacent devices.
The present invention provides a gaming device having a modular cabinet construction and replaceable laminate panels which significantly enhances the manufacturing, modification and repair processes for gaming devices. In the preferred embodiment, the modular cabinet includes upper and lower cabinets or housings removably connected together and two replaceable laminate panels removably connected to the opposite sides of the modular cabinets. The present invention also contemplates a third laminate panel connected to the back of the gaming device if desired by the manufacturer.
The first or display housing or cabinet is adapted to receive a gaming device display and a removable monitor mask apparatus is connected thereto. A plurality of differently sized display housings and mask apparatuses are contemplated for use with a plurality of differently sized displays. It is also contemplated that the display housing could be sized to receive differently sized monitors. The second or component housing is adapted to receive all of the other gaming device electronic components and player interface and input devices. The component housing can be of any suitable size or shape.
The replaceable laminate panels include a substrate and a laminate on the outer or exterior side of the substrate. Preferably, the substrate is extruded from aluminum or an aluminum alloy, although other suitable materials or methods of manufacture are contemplated. The laminate layer, preferably displaying the decorations, colors, figures, characters and indicia representing the gaming theme and scheme of the gaming device is applied to the exterior side of the substrate. The laminate layer is preferably a colored, pressure sensitive laminate comprised of vinyl, vinyl and metal composite, polyvinyl chloride, or some other mixture, applied to the outer surface of the substrates. The laminate panels are relatively simple and inexpensive to fabricate, light in weight, thin, yet strong and resistant to abuse. Suitable fastening devices are used to removably attach the laminate panels to the cabinets.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a gaming device having a modular construction and replaceable laminate panels that are configured to look as if they were installed in a conventional manner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide modular cabinets for use with a gaming device.
A further object of the present invention to provide a gaming device with replaceable laminate panels.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, elements, components, steps and processes.